1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multichannel pump and more particularly to a multichannel pump wherein the pumping rate through each channel is individually adjustable, independently of the pumping rate through all other channels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,196 to Butler discloses a pump having two diametrically mounted tubes which are deformed in wavelike fashion to pump fluid therethrough. The device includes plural cams to induce the wavelike action and has no inlet or outlet valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,285,974 to Huber discloses a deformable tube and plural cams which both deform the tube and open and close opposite ends of the tube in synchronism with such deformation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,922,379 to Schultz discloses a pump having plural tubes arranged in a linear pattern. Flow through the tubes can be adjusted individually by the provision of wedge shaped members associated with each of the tubes. There is an eccentric cam associated with each of the tubes for valving opposite ends of the tube and for deforming central portions of the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,845 to Voelcker discloses a pump having an eccentric ball bearing cam for alternately compressing and expanding a resilient elastomeric tube equipped with inlet and outlet check valves. No mechanism for adjusting the relative position of the cam and the resilient tube is disclosed, and accordingly, no adjustment of flow rate through the pump is afforded by the patented pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,817 to Kemnitz discloses a pump having a plurality of tubes arranged on the interior surface of a frusto conical housing. A rotor having helical flights thereon is supported for rotation in the housing. The rate of flow through all of the tubes is adjustable simultaneously by adjusting the axial position of the housing with respect to the rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,864 to Jones discloses a peristaltic pump having a plurality of tubes supported on arcuate paths. The tubes are progressively deformed by rollers that travel on a path concentric to the arcuate configuration of the tubes. The tubes are backed by arcuate platens; different sized platens produce different pumping rates through the respective tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,580 discloses a pump wherein a deformable tube is constrained to an arcuate configuration extending over approximately 300.degree.. An eccentric rotor deforms the tube in a wavelike manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,777 to Papoff et al. discloses a pump wherein deformable tubes are supported on an arcuate path and wherein a rotating member carrying rollers moves along the path to deform the tube in a wavelike manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,241 to Clemens discloses a pump having a plurality of tubes supported along an arcuate path. There is a rotor having plural rollers which deform the tube as the rotor rotates. There is a solenoid attached to an arcuate backing member for the tubes so as to move the backing member and the tube away from the rotor in order to terminate fluid delivery through the tube.
British Pat. No. 829,329 and German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1,910,436 disclose peristaltic pumps wherein a resilient tube is sequentially deformed at plural points along its length to produce pumping action.